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Wednesday, 14 September 2016

18 Myths About Alzheimer's:

Certain myths around Alzheimer's can spike misunderstanding and even fear
around the condition.

1. Dental Fillings Cause Alzheimer's

While some amalgam fillings may contain a small amount of mercury along with
other types of metal, the thought that this could affect brain health has not
been supported by research. The Alzheimer's Association notes
that "according to the best available scientific evidence, there is
no relationship between silver dental fillings and Alzheimer's."
Unless scientific research comes out that reaches a different conclusion, you're
better off focusing simply on keeping your teeth clean and healthy. In fact,
some research shows that brushing your teeth can go a long ways
towards saving your brain.

2. Aluminum Pans Cause Alzheimer's

Most research has not demonstrated a connection between aluminum and
Alzheimer's disease, although a couple of studies have called that conclusion
into question. Aluminum is found naturally in the earth, so while it has been
found in the brains of people with Alzheimer's disease, the association is
questionable. Many scientists recommend focusing instead on other ways to
reduce your risk of dementia, such as the nine factors that you have clear
control over.

3. If I Forget Something, I Must Be Getting Dementia

While memory loss can be a sign of Alzheimer's and other types of dementia,
it can also be an indicator of a reversible condition that needs
treatment.

Additionally, in some types of dementia, such as
frontotemporal dementia, memory may remain pretty functional in the early
stages.

4. Alzheimer's Disease Is Worse than Dementia

I've often heard people say, "The doctor said he has dementia. I'm so
glad it's not Alzheimer's disease!" While I empathize with their
concern about receiving an Alzheimer's diagnosis and their relief in the
ability to call those symptoms a different name, I also know that it's
important to help people understand their diagnosis.
Alzheimer's disease is one type of dementia. If you're not sure what kind of
dementia you or your loved one has, ask the doctor these questions so that
you will know more about what to expect and what you can do in response to the
diagnosis.

5. Memory Loss Is an Expected and Normal Part of Aging

After our twenties, some decline in speed and memory can be expected, but in
general, cognitive functioning remains about the same as you age. It's not
normal to struggle to remember basic things like how to make a pot of coffee or
where you live.
Reviewing these early warning signs of dementia can help you
differentiate between normal memory loss and warning signs that you should
discuss with a physician.

6. Flu Shots Cause Alzheimer's

A physician (whose license was later suspended) suggested a theory that
concluded that flu shots were linked to a much greater risk of Alzheimer's
disease. However, since then, there is not research that supports this idea.
Instead, one study found a decreased risk of Alzheimer's disease in those who
had received the flu vaccination.

Additionally, other research has concluded that flu shots are correlated with a
decreased risk of all-cause death.

7. It's Just Mean to Tell Someone They Have Dementia

There's a thought out there that goes like this: "You shouldn't tell a
person that the doctor has diagnosed him with dementia because it will
only make him upset. He's better off not knowing." This kind of thinking
is so common that more than half of people with Alzheimer's are not being told
their diagnosis, according to the Alzheimer's Association.
While talking with someone about a diagnosis of Alzheimer's, vascular
dementia, or Lewy body dementia is difficult, withholding a diagnosis is
typically not the solution and often compounds the problem. Ethically, the
person has the right to be aware of their diagnoses. Additionally, being
informed as early as possible about a dementia diagnosis can help her make wise
choices about her care and her future. Not telling a loved one or patient that
they have dementia is perhaps easiest at the moment, but it's not the right
approach.

8. Only Old People Get Dementia

While the risk of dementia increases significantly with age, there are also
some people who are younger than 65 who develop it. The Alzheimer's Association
estimates that approximately 200,000 people are living with early onset
dementia in the United States. Early onset (or younger age dementia) often
affects people in the 40's or 50's, and it has a different set of challenges
since many of these individuals are working and have families that they're
raising at this time. Support groups can be encouraging for those with early
onset dementia, as well as for their families and friends.
Some of the more common types of younger onset dementia include early onset
Alzheimer's disease, frontotemporal dementia, HIV/AIDS associated dementia, Huntington's
disease and Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease.

9. Aspartame Causes Alzheimer's

The idea that aspartame (a substitute for sugar) causes Alzheimer's disease
has been spread around through emails and social media, but there's little
science to back this claim. The Alzheimer's Association considers this claim to
be a myth, and states that the FDA has not found any scientific evidence to
support the idea.
There has been some research, however, that unfortunately concluded that
consuming high amounts of sugar may not be so healthy for our brains.

10. Visiting a Person with Dementia Isn't Worth It Because They'll Quickly
Forget You Were There

This idea is incorrect in many ways. First, sometimes the visit is beneficial
for you, not just the person living with dementia. Second, dementia affects
people differently. While it impacts short-term memory for some, other people
might have a harder time with word-finding and decision-making skills but
remember that you visited with them. And third, research says that the feelings
created by the visit often last longer than the specific memory of the visit.
In other words, long after you leave and even if the person has forgotten that
you were there, the good feelings that come from sitting down together for a
cup of coffee and a chat may remain.

11. My Parents Have Dementia So I Will, too. There's Nothing I Can Do
to Change That

Yes and no. There are only a few hundred people known to have familial
Alzheimer's disease where a deterministic gene (a gene that causes the disease,
rather than just makes it more likely to develop) for Alzheimer's is passed
down from parent to child.
In others, there is a higher risk if your parents have dementia; however,
not everyone who has a parent with dementia will develop dementia themselves.
Science has found that often, there appear to be many factors that
contribute to the risk of dementia. In fact, one study concluded that nine
factors that were all modifiable (typically able to be affected by lifestyle
and health choices) accounted for the majority of all dementia cases.
Therefore, even if you're at an increased risk from genetics and family
history, there's still a lot you can do to decrease your risk.

12. Coconut Oil Can Cure Alzheimer's Disease

Coconut oil has been cited as a way to prevent and treat Alzheimer's
disease. However, we're still waiting on research to back up this claim. There
have been a few people that have cited examples of a loved one dramatically
improving after taking coconut oil. While these stories are encouraging, thus
far, scientific research studies have not confirmed this.
There is one study being conducted by the USF Health Byrd Alzheimer’s
Institute of the University of South Florida that is addressing this question,
and many are eager to hear those results.

13. You Can Successfully Treat Alzheimer's

Some day, this will hopefully be true. Currently, however, we have only four
medications that have been approved by the FDA to treat Alzheimer's
disease, and at best, they give a slight pause in the progression of the
disease.

14. There's No Use Going to the Doctor if You Have Symptoms of Dementia
because Nothing Can Be Done

Let's imagine that you have taken the SAGE at-home dementia screening test
and it indicates a concern with your cognitive abilities. Why even go to the
doctor? There's no cure for Alzheimer's, so why pay money to hear a physician
confirm that you have dementia?
Here's why. Not only are there many benefits to early detection of dementia,
but the physician can also conduct other tests to determine if there are reversible
and treatable causes—instead of dementia—for your symptoms.

15. You Can Prevent Dementia

While we can't prevent dementia 100%, the key here is that we absolutely can
reduce our chances of getting dementia through eating a healthy diet, physical
exercise, and mental activity. However, we can't conclusively prevent
Alzheimer's and other types of dementia from occurring. Not yet.

16. Life Isn't Worth Living If You Have Dementia

Dementia is a life-changing diagnosis and it's often associated with many
challenges and losses. However, it's still possible to facilitate quality of
life for people who have dementia. Several research studies have been conducted
both by observation and by direct interviews with people who are living with
dementia to identify specific ways to improve their quality of life. It can be
encouraging to hear of others who are able to live with meaning and joy despite
a diagnosis of dementia.

17. People with Dementia Become Like Children and Respond Well to
Being Treated that Way

Because you might need to adjust how you speak to someone who has
dementia, some people think that using "baby language"—speaking in a
high pitch voice, using terms of endearment instead of names, and approaching
the person as if they were a child—is helpful. The truth? It's not. This
practice has been termed "Elder speak." It's patronizing and has been
correlated in research with an increase in challenging behaviors in
people with dementia. (That's not hard for me to imagine!)

18. Scientists Really Don't Want to Find a Cure for Dementia Because
They're Making Money from the Disease

I've heard this theory proposed by some who are convinced there's a
conspiracy by drug companies and researchers to not find a way to successfully
treat and prevent Alzheimer's and other kinds of dementia.
While I can't cite specific research to prove otherwise, I do know that some
medical researchers are devoting their entire medical career to finding a way
to defeat Alzheimer's. And, while pharmacy companies do have a large financial
stake here, they stand to benefit far more if a way to successfully treat
Alzheimer's when developed.
From my chair, although corruption and hidden motives are plenty, this
theory can be clearly tossed out the window. Many physicians, researchers, and
organizations, such as the Alzheimer's Association, are working tirelessly with
the goal of treating and curing Alzheimer's disease one day.